Axle transmission



wrrNEss:

,u 1,641,859 Sept 6, 1927 R. B. MccoRMlcK AXLE TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY sept. 6, 1927.

R. B. MCCORMICK AXLE TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 2s, 1926 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTCR NEY latented Sept. 6, 1927. u i

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

ROBERT BRUCE MeooRiviroK, YE DETROIT, Informeren.

AXLE TRANSMISSION.

Application filednugust 2B,` 1926. Serial No. 131,073.

' My present invention has reference to axles, drivenby the dierential which deautomobiles and has for its object to prorives powerfrom the engine drive shaft, .are vide a means whereby the rearv axle drive indicated vby vthe numerals and 6, respec shafts'may be clutched to or disconnected tively- Each Shaft 5 and 6 is received-.in 60 s from the wheels driven thereby, so that a the respective casings 4, the portions of the vehicle having one wheel'mired, can have all shafts received in Vthe said casings being of the engine powerrdirected thereto, or as squared in cross section, as indicated by the when aewheel is spinning, without propelnumerals 7. Between the axle housing sec- Vling' the machine, all of the power of the en: tions and ythe casings 4 there are arranged 6v ygine may be directed to the'second wheel, inner blocks 8 whichprovide bearings for so that the vehicle can be propelledl through the said shaft sections 5 and 6, and contactru'ts'zmd under au road. Conditione n y, ing with these blocks 8 there are, in the re- VA ,further ebjeet is the provisionv ofl e, spective housings, toothed clutch wheels .9.' power `transmission for the drive wheels of The shafts 5 and 6 pass freely through the T9 automobiles or similar vehicles, wherein a center of the said clutch wheels 9, andthe single lever is employed ,for operatingthe rwheels are providedwith peripheral ears `clutchbetween sectional rear axle shafts in that receive therethrough bolts that secure aneasy and positive manner. the said clutch wheels in the said casings.

" To "thelattainment of the foregoing,- the Slidable onthe squaredv ends 7 of each of reinvention consists in the improvement 'as the shafts 5 and 6 there areclutch members on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

herein ldescribed andfdefinitely claimed; l0 having Vtheir inner fac-es toothed, to en- In the drawings Y Q gage' with the teeth of the clutch wheels 9. e

, Figure lis a top plan view of a sufficient The bores of the clutch members 10 are portion of an automobile frame to illustrate square to correspond to the shape of the ends S0 "the application of 'my improvement thereon. 7 of theV shafts 5 and 6. The squared ends 7 Figure 2 isan approximately central horiof the shafts 5 and 6v are in directalignment Hzontal-sectional view through the rear axle with the squared ends 11 of the outer sech'ousingof thel automobile, the differential tions 12. Y The axle sections 12, atthe terhousing being omitted.

f minal of their square extensions V11, are 3" Figure 3 isa sectional view on the line formed with iianges 13 that'abut against .3fgef Figure 2v i e Y f blocksV 14 arranged inthe bores at thej'innerVV v Figure 4 isa sectional Viewv ,on the line .ends of therouter sections 2 ofthe rear axle 44 of Figure 2. f housings. *They blocks 14 also provide bear- Figure 5 is a sectional view approximately Vings for the shaft Vsections 12./ Each lof the *3U p v Y slidable clutch, members 10l isy preferably `Figure 6 is a sectional View on the line round lin cross section and is centrally 6-6 of Figure/5.V v y formedjvith anannular depression in which Figure 7 isa sectional view on'theV line there is received a band l5. Pivotally con- 7-7 of-Figure 5. d 7 Y nected, as atl 16, yto Vtheoppo'site sidesl of the i2 '40 FigureV 8 is a detail Vsectional view apbands 1 5, vthere areY thel forked arms onthe proximately on the line 84,-8 of Figure 7 inner` angle endsY ofY the levers 17 and 18, lnlcarrying out ,my invention, the drive respectively. y'lhelevers at their angle ends shaft of the engine for an automobile or 19 are'pivotally secured, as at 20, in boxes r theV like 'carries` on its outer endfthe usual 21 ,provided on the outer sides of the cas- 4 drive pinion associated with the ordinary ings, 4. f A f y K #differential gears ink the usual differential As far as Vthe description has'progressed housing 1. ,The axle housings 2&2, which itwill be noted that'when the Vlever 18 is l Vproject in 'opposite directions from" the difswung to the position illustrated in Figure ferential housing 1, are, however., cut away 2of the drawings, the 'shaft Section5 will be 19 and shortened.; Connected lto Vthe sections .held against turning, and Vwhen the lever 17 ofthe 4said axle vkhousings there are the revhas been' turned to the position also illusfduced and outwardlyV flanged vends '3 e of /t'rated in Figure 2 of the drawings, vthe two-part casings 4. vThe confronting ends clutch elementvlO is brought Vout ofengag'eof the `casings 4 are p flanged, and thesey ment withv the clutch element 9, and has rid- 55 flangesare bolted together as disclosed by `den onto the squaredend'.v 11 of the outer fthe drawings. For` distinction, the rear shaft section 12," so lthat the'wheelfconnected` with thi: Section will revolve and will have itull engine torce to inipel the said wheel.

its disclosed by Figure l ot the drawings, l arrange beneath the transmission housing: of the engine a pair of spaced bars 2l which pass through the chaiineled side bnr ot the chassis and hnvc screwed on their endsy nuts 22. These bars inovidc n Support tor a hoh low meinber :23 provided with suitable ruido ,tlane'cs tor slidaliilc blocks 2l and .3, respectively. rlhe under ilaces ot the blocks have conicz'il depressions as have the ends thereo't, and these dein ions are designed to rcccive therein the t-ciiie-sliaped heads 2G oil? spring1 intluenced plunger members 22T which :are suitablv housed, as at 2d. in the bottom oit the ineiiiber 'the member 225 may be in the nature ot' a traine having cross Sectiionall)v U-shaped sides. a connecting' flange at the rear thereof and an open trent. lecured to the base ot the menibcr Q3, at; the ends thereof, there are transverse bars 29 whose ends are flanged injuardlj,y against the sides ot the said nieinber 23 and from thence continued in *ardly and merge into straight arme4 30, which are connected by segmental phitcs 3l. The ends olf the opposed plates El nre connected together by tlan s 32 I have stated that theV member 23 i supported by the rods 2l, but the said rods are not directifv connected to the ineinber 23, but pass through bearing; openings adjacent to the ends ot plates 238 which are riveted, bolted, or otherwise secured between transveree ctninectingn elements 3l for the arms 3'). The upper and lower plates 33 have their ends connected by bolts 35, and the ,said plates are likewise bolted on the brace or connecting nienibcrs 3ft- The plates 38 at the center thereot' have aligninfbil conw caved depressions tor the reception of a ball 3G 4'toi-ined on a shift lever 3i". The shii't lever carries a handle operated spring' intlueneed dog: 33 to engage in notches 39 in the segmental plates 3l. rlhe slideble members ill and have their conlrfniting` edges .'[iorined with notcher el() and A-Ll-.l respectively, and within one ot these notchesI the lower end ot' the shift: lever 3l' is receivctil. The outer ends et the slidable blot-lis l and have pivotally connected thereto the otllsetends ot' shift rods and d3, respectiveljif. The rod is connected to the angle lever 1S, and the rod -il-l to the angle lever li'. "if he spring influenced plungers hold the .elidable blocks 2l and against accidental n1ovement` '.lhe shift .lever 3i", as previously stated, hns its lower end received in one ot the notches lO or ll in the blocks ill; or llhen itis desired tio hold the axle section 5 and its extension l2 troni turning' by the drive shalt ot the engine, the shift lever is operated to niove the blocl: 2l to the goifitions disclosed in Figures 5 and G oit' the drawings. then the shaft sections 5 and i9 are to he again connected the ,shift lever taierated to move the slidable block @el in and against the inner wall ot the nicniber or housing` 23. This will bring` the slot; or not h 3S) iii alignment with the slot or notch -ll ro inet the shift lever may be turned to lninn Vits end in the notch itl and inove the slide outwardlt,7 through the member 23 to canne the rod l2-3 to Swing the lever 17 to clutch the shaft section tl with its shatt: extension Awhich is secured to the wheel.

flirt will thus be noted that the control lor the clutches is arrangreii conveniently with respect to the driver and mafv be readiliT opu frated as occasion requires.

'l'he simplicitiv ot the construction and the advantatircs thereol, will, it'y is thought be 21pparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention relates, but: the .nature ot the invention is such to render the saine susceptible to chi-mees in conetruction, proportion and material employed, etc. Therefore, it is to be inideretood that l ain to be restrict:- ed only to the improvement as defined by the n iipcnded claims.

Havingdescrihed the invention, lt claim l. The combination with an automobile, including the engine driven shaft, the dit`- terent'ial associated therewith, and the housingr :tor the dillfel'ential, the rear axle shafts and the housings tor .said shafts and in which the axle shafts and the housings theren :tor are constructed in sections, said shaft siectioiis having' their confronting ends .squared in crees section, casings connecting the housing' sections. a .lined toot-hed clutch block on the inner tace of each casingI and through which the inner axle shatts are journaled, a slidablc clutch .ineinber in each casing having,l a square bore to engage with the squared ends oli' the axle shatts, angle levers having; lforked ends pivotally secured to the casines, said slidable clutch members having,` annular depressione, a band in each depression to which the t'orlred ends of the angle levers are connected, a rod secured to the outer end oit cach ol'l the :ingle levers, elidable members supported at the' liront ot the eutoniobile and to which the rods are respectively connected, spring inlluenced means tor normallyY holding; the slidable ineens troni n'iovenient and a shift; lever tor actuating the slidable rneans,'lor the purpose set iforth.

The combination with an automobile including,` the engrine driven shaft, the diflercntial :'issoeiated therewith, and the housing' ttor the dill'erential,the rear axle shafts `and the housings tor said shafts and in which the axle- .shalte and the housings there tor are constructed in sections, said shaft sections hitting their confronting ends squared in cross section, easings connecting the housing; sections, a fixed toothed clutch block on the inner tace of cach casing and Il t) tuo llo

lio

through which the inner axle shafts are rods are respectively connected, spring inl jonrnaled, a s'lidable clutch member in each fluenced plungers engaging the blocks for casing having a square bore to engage with holding the same from movement, a shift the squared ends ofthe axle shafts, angle lever having a spherical portion journafled levers having forked ends pivotally secured centrally in the plates'and having its lower to the casngs, said slidable clutch members end received in the notch ofone of the slidhaving annular depressions, a band in eachv able blocks movable, when the said block depression to which the forked ends of the` is slid to its limit in one direction, into the 'angle levers areV connected, and Supports senotch of the adjacent block, and a spring in.

, cured to the automobile frame below the rear fluenced handle operated dog on the lever of the enginel therefor, sectional platesk on the engageable in the notches in the arched upsupports, a frame having upper arched vsides per sides of theframe, for the purpose set which are notched, secured to the plates, a forth. i

hollow member supported on the lower end In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

" of the frame and slidable notched blocks in the hollow member to which the-rnemzioned s ROBRTBRUGE MGCORMICK. 

